London - Dame Shirley Porter, the Tesco heiress and former leader of the Tories' flagship Westminster Council, was yesterday branded a liar by a High Court judge and ordered to pay over £27 million in surcharges in the "homes-for-votes" scandal.
Lord Justice Rose and two other High Court judges refused Dame Shirley and Mr David Weeks, her former deputy, leave to appeal against the findings. Most of the costs will fall on Dame Shirley, as Mr Weeks has few assets to meet the bill.
The judges upheld the finding of a seven-year investigation by the district auditor for Westminster that they were guilty of "wilful misconduct" and "disgraceful and improper gerrymandering" between 1987 and 1989.